Neighbors appeal Lakeridge High home games

Motoya Nakamura / The OregonianLakeridge High School football team huddles up during a home game last year played at the Lake Oswego School District Stadium on the rival Lake Oswego High School campus. Lakeridge is seeking city approval to play its home football games on the Lakeridge field.

LAKE OSWEGO -- Four Lake Oswego residents have appealed a city decision last month that gave Lakeridge High School's varsity football team the go ahead to play home games at the high school this fall.

The Lake Oswego City Council is scheduled to hear the appeal 6 p.m. July 22, possibly at the West End Building.

If the council upholds the original decision, this fall's games would likely go ahead at Lakeridge even if the ruling is appealed to the state Land Use Board of Appeals.

In the appeal filed today, four residents argued that the games are not "reasonably compatible" with the surrounding residential neighborhood and would adversely affect parking and noise.

Development review commissioners in their original decision last month had placed conditions, such as a one-year review of the games, to try to mitigate the effects.

But some residents felt the effects "weren't mitigated enough for the safety and livability of the neighborhood," said resident Becky Salsburg, who filed the appeal with Jaliene Hollabaugh and Gordon and Carolyn Harris.

Superintendent Bill Korach said the school district expected the appeal to be filed and is willing to work with the neighbors. The district met with some concerned residents last week and is scheduled to do so again next week.

Lakeridge currently plays home football games at the Lake Oswego School District's shared stadium, which sits on the campus of cross-town rival Lake Oswego High.
-- Yuxing Zheng;yuxingzheng@news.oregonian.com